A Testimony For Evangelism

A good story can make a point, and a bad story can break a point. Regardless, most of us love stories. They capture our minds and, in doing so, can impart truth and convey wisdom. The most significant story we have to tell, at least for those of us who identify as believers, is the story of God's work in our lives. These stories are most significant because they speak of our dramatic rescue from a lifestyle of sin, and they do so by pointing to the work of a God who can do what we cannot do. We refer to this as our testimony.

However, there are several variations of a testimony. The most common one is the story about how the Lord caused a redirection of our lives toward reconciliation with Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. A second type of testimony is our story about what the Lord is doing now in our lives. There is another variation of the testimony, though, one that is not our story about ourselves but rather others' story about us. Such a story may be told by a believer or unbeliever. Both are important not because of what they say about us but because of what it causes someone to say about God.

Paul speaks of this testimony in Colossians 4:5, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” Here, Paul speaks of our testimony according to unbelievers. It’s a simple text, fairly straightforward both in content and meaning. Despite its simplicity, it becomes an insightful piece of text because it causes us to ask, “What are unbelievers saying about me?” From this text, we learn three principles about the Christian walk.

• The Principal Requirement

One concept is paramount in this text: walk in wisdom. A walk in wisdom is to be the defining description of the Christian life. In fact, most would say this is the definition of living well for any person, whether believer or unbeliever. However, for believers, a walk in wisdom takes on a distinctive character because we recognize that God defines wisdom, and he does so because he is the source of wisdom (cf. Romans 16:27). That wisdom is made accessible though, through Jesus Christ, who is wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). The result is that genuine wisdom is not found apart from the influence of Christ then. The source of wisdom is a crucial distinction between believers and unbelievers. For unbelievers, they will seek wisdom in the world which is only darkness masquerading as light (James 3:15; 1 Corinthians 3:19). Because God is all-wise, genuine wisdom results from a flourishing fear and right reverence for the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). A believer’s testimony of wisdom then, begins with our relationship with God through Christ.

• The Primary Regulation

Walking in wisdom is generally agreed upon as a principal requirement of the Christian life. We often understand this requirement defines our relationships with fellow believers. However, when we look at the text, we see that Paul applies this principle in an unexpected way. When writing to the Colossians, he doesn't tell them to walk in wisdom towards one another but in wisdom towards outsiders. In using the word 'outsiders,' he is referencing unbelievers, as those who are outside of the church.

While it is true that Christians should walk in wisdom towards one another, it is especially crucial towards outsiders because they are without Christ. Lacking fear of God, outsiders lack both knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10), and so in writing this, Paul is urging the Colossians to walk in a way that attracts people to the Lord. A walk in wisdom is a means to show people the character of God, living in such a way that allows them to see Him as the fulfillment of their ongoing needs. The precept written to the Colossians continues to be relevant today. Similar to the Colossians, we live in a world corrupted by sin, in which the greatest need is one's need for Christ. Therefore, knowing how that need is met, all believers in all eras would do well to walk in wisdom toward outsiders.

• The Predominant Rule

In the end, the verse closes with a rule that defines how believers walk in wisdom towards outsiders: by making the most of their time. Time acts as a motivating component for maintaining a testimony of wisdom towards outsiders. There is an urgency here that is captured by Ephesians 5:15-16, which says, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” The evil that permeates this world determines the use of our time, which is to be stewarded wisely. How do we best steward this time? By making it about Christ (this point was further discussed in a previous post in 2021, which you can read by clicking here).

Two factors limit the time available to us with unbelievers. First, it is limited by death. At some point, either we will die, or the person we are witnessing to will die. There is no way to avoid that. And it's complicated by the fact that we don't know when the Lord will cut off our time with an unbeliever. Because it could be tomorrow (or even tonight, as warned in Luke 12), wise stewardship elevates the need to share the gospel now. Time is also limited by life. People are busy. They require sleep and time to eat. The reality is we spend only a small percentage of our time and their time together. The result is the need to look at those times we have together as opportunities to walk in wisdom and invite people to Christ.


“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time,” Paul writes by the inspiration of the Spirit. A limited amount of time to walk alongside unbelievers compels us to walk in wisdom. This is a call for us to maintain a positive testimony before unbelievers, not so they are guided towards us, but so they are shepherded towards the Lord. The reality is then when we look upon this verse, we don't ask, "What are unbelievers saying about me?" The most important question is, "What are unbelievers saying about God because of me?"